THE WORD OF GOD

Pope Benedict XVI, Shepherd of Truth

THE CHURCH AND THE WORD OF GOD

The Church is a community that listens to and proclaims the Word of God

DIRECTIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

The Church does not live on herself but on the Gospel, and in the Gospel always and ever anew
finds the directions for her journey.This is a point that every Christian must understand and apply
to himself or herself: only those who first listen to the Word can become preachers of it.

THE WISDOM OF GOD

They must not teach their own wisdom but
the wisdom of God. which often appears to be
foolishness in the eyes of the world (cf. 1 Cor
1:23)

VENERATING JESUS IN THE SCRIPTURES

The Church knows well that Christ lives in
the Sacred Scriptures. For this very reason... she
has always venerated the divine Scriptures in the
same way as she venerates the Body of the
Lord....

"INSEPARABLY LINKED"

The Church and the Word of God are inseparably linked. The Church lives on the Word of
God and the Word of God echoes through the Church in her teaching and throughout her life...

"GRATEFUL TO GOD"

We are grateful to God that in recent times ..., the fundamental importance of the Word of God
has been deeply re-evaluated. From this has derived a renewal of the Church's life, especially iin
her preaching, catechesis, theology and spirituality, and even in the ecumenical process.

RENEWAL AND REJUVENATION

The Church must be constantly renewed and rejuvenated and the Word of God, which never
ages and is never depleted, is a privileged means to achieve this goal.

"TO THE VERY ENDS OF THE EARTH"

May the Word of God nake progress (cf. 2 Thes 3:1) to the very ends of the earth, so that
through the proclamation of salvation the whole world through hearing it may believe, through belief
it may hope. and through hope it may come to love...